Things crashing toghether
Caitlyn was stuck. She has been chasing this mad theory for a month now, and no noise has been made since the end of the arcane war. The only thing she had was the conduit idea and a non-brand airship leaving Piltover, no direction specified apart from going north.
She had a whole board fill with whys and why nots of reasons Jinx would stay in different geographical points.
This far, Noxus was out of the picture, they know her there, Mel would have reported something to her. Even if the ex-council would keep the blunette location in secret, some Noxians would not, taking her help against the attack on piltover, and death of Ambessa Medarda part of her fault. Even if there hadn't been, there were some groups that were not happy with the outcome of the plan, even if they have saved the world from something bigger than all of them combined. Nor with the change of general.
Cait let out a sigh, she knew that people could be able to see red really easy when something they cared about, family, morals, beliefs broke.
That had left her with Ionia, Freljord or Demacia.
Ionia had really good merchant routes with piltover, she had her connections there given her fathers upbringings. So things were not going great, she knew that a possible inner war was boiling in, and she doubted that Jinx, wanting to start anew, would like to get herself in more battle ground.
The Kiraman girl, even if a little doubtful, crossed out Ionia.
The fairytale paradise or the forever winter mountains.
Her head was pounding and her eye under the patch was itching, she hadn't cleaned it yet. She actually forgot about taking care of it if Vi didnt remind her. Oh the pink hair girl had been doing so much better. She still wasn’t happy about being an enforcer, too much to unpack but she was happy about helping, being part of redoing the system, show them how Zaunites matter, like Vander had told her a long time ago, not with her fists first.
She still had a really easy short temper, and when things went too much she threw a punch. But it hasn't been a lot, just a noble with a bloody nose when he said something about the firelights being an awful group to cooperate with. Caitlyn just told Vi that she should have communicated to her the verbal assault before taking matters, but after that she has just told her good job.
Vi was a traveling being, crossing bridges between crazy stunts, meeting with Ekko once she was on the other side. They were planning to redo the Last drop, Scar, the second hand of Ekko, was planning on opening it again. Not just to be a bar, but to be a center of ideas to do a better place out of Zaun, a living space. Ekko had said something about using the flowers that were on VIktors comune, apparently they have a way to take away the toxins in the air. How did he know that? She wasn't sure. Vi had said that the boy savior had been really cryptic about it.
“Saw it in a dream”
Scientists had another kind of brain, she laughed when she had said it. But she was still mourning her brother departour, yes, her brother in anything but blood. She hoped…that anywhere he was, he was alright, she hoped that the lamb could reach him well alongside his partner.
The board was hidden in her new office, she couldn't have it at home after all, she didn't want her lover to see it. She had talked about Jinx, but not just about the time when she had another name, but the little time she spent with her while they were trying to cure their father.
About how odd it had been looking at Jinx being playful and soft for a little girl. She didn't ask Jinx who Isha was, she had let it pass her. But when they were in front of the fireplace confiding in each other, the brawler let her thoughts fly.
“Looking at them was so bittersweet, cupcake. Well I was pretty angry all the time yeah but…their bond? It was so annoying, so close to what I have had with Powder once, but so different at the same time. Jinx had a new sister, and she needed me anymore.”
“And then she lost her”
“Yeah…and when she fought against my grasp I remained on the night I lost Powder. And my arms were not mine, they were Markus. And I was holding myself, my brat self, preventing it to go to her sister that needed her”
“Do you regret it?”
“No, I don’t regret pulling my sister away, both of them would have died, and then she just fled and then came back with fucking little man and whole of Zaun like they were their royalty or something”
“I’m glad you are not blaming yourself that much. Your decisions were taken in a critical moment, so were hers.”
“So was yours”
“Yeah…we can’t undo our crimes”
“Just be better”
“Precisely”
Vi loved her sister, Caitlyn was assured of that. And she wished that the hatred just went away, she was aware that Jinx needed help, now that she didn't have the passing of her mother so recent or someone playing the strings of her feelings. The pain was still there, but both herself and Jinx lost a parent figure that night. It didn't matter how much Vi tried to deny it at first, but the industrialist Silco had been her father for so long. Caitlyn got a whole funeral, what did the blunette got? Did she do anything with the body? When the authorities went to the place again they didn't find anything apart from the tea party.
Cait didn’t want to think about the tea party, nor Vi did, the horrors of that night have been too much.
So to say, Jinx was not a good person, she had to pay for her crimes, but she was also broken in ways that the world has put their dents into. And given the fact that she talked to things that weren't there, she had probably some kind of disorder.
Sometimes she thought back to the night Vi told her that she used to scare the monsters for her sister, now she wonders if they were not just imagination of the little kid, but starters of her mental problem, that given all the other trauma she went through it was never controlled.
She needed more intel to go around this.
She hid the board in a secret compartment that opened her desk and went outside the station at a fast pace. The council should be still wrapping out some stuff, the tower even after the missile incident stood tall, now as pristine as before, but with some copper and chimneys going around, a perfect example of how little by little Zaun was making a print on the golden city.
When she passed the reception and asked for the Zaun counselor she was already passing her.
When she heard her name being called she looked at the sheriff arching her brow. Nodding with her head to follow her to her chamber. Everycouselor had a personal study in the tower, she had never been inside her mothers, one that was really bare at the time, just a photo of her and her father. That one was Ash as well by now.
“Well Kiraman, I Hope you want something worth my delay on going home. Today has been a pain in the ass, you upsiders really don't know when you have a wolf growling at your feet instead of a poodle”
Sevika sat at her chair, prompting her feet Up the desk, and was about to light a cigarette but stopped. And then she tosh It to the trash signing.
“Not your strong suit?”
“I'm trying to quit, some brat told me It made me an ogre”
“Jinx?”
The room goes quiet and the counselor massages her temples.
“Kiraman, she's gone, you should really let the kid die. The devil is not hunting you, just her memory or some shit like that”
“Then if you believe she is indeed no longer in this realm. Answer some questions for me”
“Fine, I Will humor you , you spoiled girly, but one strike and you're out. Got it?”
“Very well”
Sevika didn't look at the sheriff in front of her. She looked a little out of the place, looking at the ceiling, looking in between the rafters for some long braids. They weren't there, they never have been, at least not in this one.
“Who was Jinx, not the girl Vi knew, not the face of the wanted posters. Her”
“For a long time I would have told you that she was just a wacko that Silco adopted. She was delusional, and unstable. And yeah for the most part she was. We got into a rivalry of shorts, me and her. Always wanting to look strong for the Big Boss that couldn't do anything by himself. Pff, you know he made me give her the talk when lady red arrived?”
“Oh, I um”
“You should have seen the outer disgusted face of the monkey, but I guess It kinda makes sense when I brought her to Babettes to learn”
“Wait..you took a child to the brothel?!”
“I did, and i'm glad I did, the kid didn't played around with any filth even when she turned 19”
“Oh my god, I…never mind, please continue”
“The kid was childish and Silco spoiled her no stop. He had everyone at his orders drinking favors when It came to baby blue. He even did her hair, you know? He was a rat, and a broken one at that but…”
“They were both broken, so they found understanding. But a broken man can't do miracles to a broken girl”
“Story of her life, really”
“So she didn't have a cause?”
“Her cause was feeling special for someone you moron. Even when she became a fucking mural she didn't want It. Because she had a little bastard to take care of. It was Silco all over again I swear”
The woman opens one drawer with her metal arm and pulls out a flask bottle without waiting for the rich girl sitting with her to say anything.
“You are implying that…Jinx became a mother”
“I'm not implying, I'm stating the facts to you, all her lair was a freak show but when the kiddo arrived? Fucking lights everywhere, the weapons out of reach and a whole ass pillow fort.”
“ A safe space”
“Yeah…and now? They're both gone. So is the lair”
“It is?”
“The fucking ventilator she arrived in was her room”
“Of course”
“Yeah”
“I only have two last questions”
“Shoot before I drawn this shit dry”
“Did you care about her?”
Her drinking stopped, the berbere dripping down her chin.
“What would that matter to you?”
“Would you help me if I told you she might be Alive?”
“Out, Kiraman”
“Sevika, please Vi needs the closure of knowing she is mourning for a reason”
The desk flew to the wall, Caitlyn was out of her chair immediately reaching to her back in search of a rifle that wasn't there. She cursed herself and looked at the scared counselor, who was panting and whose arm was cracking with steam.
“OUT!”
Caitlyn just took down her uniform in a form to accommodate herself and went to the door. When she was gonna disappear from the room, she could almost hear a sob made out of frustration.
“I cared too late to help”
And Caitlyn left the council tower with a pang in her chest but a confirmation. Jinx had too many people that would care if she was Alive. Freljord had communications with piltover for their ice and music. It would be easy to try to reach her, even if It was hard work.
Demacian connections were none. After the hextech era started, Demacia didn't want to know anything about them, and was actually one of the few places in Runsterra that didn't have wanted a Hex Gate. With a mixed feeling grin, Caitlyn had cracked It.
“Found you”
[..........]
“Found you!”
The kid started running again with yeep sound. Her ear hooded head doing little floops when she jumped over obstacles on her escapade. They wouldn't catch her this easily, she knew Jinx was way faster than her but she was tinier. When she was sure her mom was way behind her she proceeded to hide inside a log. Bringing her hands to her mouth to not make any sound.
Not long has passed when Isha saw two trails of pink stopped in the field she was in. She was so glad that they lived in a forest. Cause her guardian sprinted to a bush when she heard movement caughting in her hands a bunny.
“O shit sorry little thing you are not the rabbit I'm searching for”
She let go of the creature softly and started a predator pacing around the place.
“Come on little bunny, you can't hide from me forever. Go out of your borrow”
Isha stayed dead silent.
And then she heard flapping and rattle over her, the entire log shook and something lifted it up. Isha tried to claw her way up the log that was being moved to the side but in the end she felt into clouded arms.
“Special delivery, one bunny at la escapade my lady”
“Oh It looks really delicious my dear Sunrock, how much has It been marinating in the log”
“The perfect amount of one minute, It should still be fresh”
“Thank you for your service kind knight now I would take a bite”
And then Jinx proceeds to leave a trail of raspberries on Isha's tummy making her giggle non stop. She bats her hands against shoulder length hair asking for mercy. And finally the attack stops or so she thinks.
“Yep, she's a great catch, here Luxie take a bite too”
And then she is put in stone arms and the tickles come back, having a little more kick when the gargoyle purrs into them. Isha holds onto the horns and she is finally let down in the ground dizzy from laughter.
“Well, we won again kiddo”
“But it was a really good record”
“Yeah you stayed away from Lux's eye and ran around obstacles to take my speed away. I knew you were my smart girl”
“Such a smart missy, and super strong”
Isha puffed out her chest even if she was tired and let out a yawn. The adults looked at each other smiling and then at Isha. Lux being the one to talk first
“Today there's good wind. Care for a fly home little adventurer ?”
Isha nodded like crazy at that and kneel in front of her.
“Chose a seat then”
Isha went around her and climbed her way up her back being lifted a little by a clawed hand. The grey creature standed Up and then looked down at her jewel.
“It seems you are left with the front seat lady jewel”
“Wow what a surprise you want me close”
“Totally coincidence Jinx”
“Yeah sure”
Jinx rolled her eyes smiling and approached both of them, and like a monkey climbing up a tree she ended up hugging the gargoyle from her shoulders and up the tummy with her legs, nuzzleling in the other shoulder that didn't had a little human peeking already.
Golden wings extended and flapped Up the canopy of leaves picking Up the current of wind and gliding their way back to the tower.
A month had already passed and the second was in its middle. Since then their tower had had a total makeover. The stairs were actually stairs, the holes in the roof were no longer there. A portrait made with paint of the three of them was painted on the door alongside “if you're not Magic or a weirdo or both explode” yes It took out all of the door but It was such a goofy representation of their chaotic family.
The rope ladder had been moved to go up the third floor, now they weren't any holes in the roof It was habitable and It had been made for Isha to have a room of her own, with all the toys Jinx had made her (but not her beloved plushie, she carried that one in her belt always) and orbs of light Lux had put for her to never be in the dark when sleeping.
The second floor had become more of a workshop for Jinx. They still slept on the bed there most nights but Jinx had become so at peace that she was alright giving Isha more space out of her reach. Not like she went far but she did her things.
Behind the training track, they have started to plant some crops. Jinx had gone alone to the village once, sold some toys she had made and had bought seeds to plant. Lux had told them they needed more of a balanced diet. So now they had potatoes and carrots, protected by a dome of light from the rain.
It was their home without a doubt.
Jinx nuzzled her nose into the blonde mane, her cheek touching a mossy one. A big smile planted on her face. Looking how excited Isha was taking her tongue to lick the wind.
And then there was them. They have grown even closer with time, they laugh, play, dance, tought, every day and night was a new experience.
Their little family for Jinx was perfectly imperfect, like a good sword. Just like Lux had said. Talking about her, she and the gargoyle had something going on, neither of them put a name to It, neither of them spoke about it, but their eyes meeting ment whole phrases now. It was like the clash between marble blue and pink pools made a new language, one just for them. That only shimmer and shine could get.
Isha called Lux dada openly. Even when Jinx was around. Even Jinx had said things like “don't worry your dada like that” but they had never said something about each other. But they knew. And Isha knew. They would probably need to said It out loud at some point or seal It but Jinx's worries took the best of her. Lux was so patient with her, and didn't ask her more when she talked about her past. Just sat there and listened and when It became too much she held her, purring out her light into her skin to calm her nerves and flash the ghosts in her mind, always lurking.
Her Sunrock was truly a guardian angel.
When they landed, the gargoyle lowered herself to let Isha jump down out of her. Jinx was about to the same and distangled herself from her front, when a claw came to her torso. Arching her back at the touch she came to look at marble blue, her legs and arms tightening around Lux.
The beast's face came closer to Jinx and her nose nuzzled itself onto her cheeks and neck. The mossy cheeks and tusks leave some tickles making the blunette giggle.
“Leaving your scent on, big girl?”
“Maybe, need you to be all protected my dear Jay”
“Oh and your smell is gonna do the trick?”
“Yes, Is not a good musk, no predator would want to take a bite”
“So you are just saying that you smell bad”
“Don't I?”
“No? You have a strong scent yeah but not bad. You smell like wet grass, gold and the sun”
Lux laughs that awful and beautiful laugh and Jinx just stares with her face flushed smiling.
“How does the Sun smell like my jewel?”
“Like you, duh”
“Got it, got it”
Lux gives her a goofy smile and lets her go softly on the floor scooping Isha up, and rubbing her face on her head. Probably leaving her scent too even if the child looked like a grumpy puppy while she was doing it. Jinx smiled at their antics and open the door to their home, tracing the family “picture” on the door smiling. Once Lux let Isha down the little bunny hopped up going in the direction of her room to lay down and rest, not before grabbing Jinx's cheeks, when she was on a taller step and giving her a good night kiss on the forehead.
“Good night to you too, my little bunny. You are not saying goodnight to your dada?”
Lux lowers herself and enters the tower on four legs approaching the stairs. Isha goes Up another step and does the same to her dada, just in between her horns.
“Sleep well, my little adventurer. Your dreams shenanigans would be as fun as the real one”
Isha nods to them and goes to her room smiling.
Once they're alone Jinx starts putting some firewood in the fireplace, Lux shoots a ray of light from her fingertip starting the fire. And the warmth of It echoes around the tower. Jinx sits in front of the fireplace and smiles when a familiar wing hugs her by the side and a clawed gold hand on her waist. The blunette nuzzled herself to the soft chest shirt, playing with some blonde locks between her fingers.
This was nice, so nice.
“Think maybe we should do some kitchen on this floor Jay?”
“Yeah would be the best use for this one apart for cuddling time”
“But that part is also staying right?”
“Of course big girl you are too much of a plushie”
“Not better than Nux”
“That little lion is an extension of your soul Luxie, pretty sure I've seen it move in the day.”
“Oh we are reversed?”
“Pretty sure”
They both giggle lightly basking into each other's presence.
“My lady jewel I….I don't want to push anything but. What are we?”
Jinx got out of the embrace and looked at the mossy polished face chewing on her lip.
“We….we are Jinx and Lux. Mamma and dada. Sunrock and Jewel. Lion and hare. Light and shimmer. We are us, I…you don't like It?”
“I love us, my jewel”
“Good, I love us too”
Jinx nods smiling and Lux does the same. And then they hug, Lux's wings doing a cocoon for them. Jinx nuzzles her face on a lightly mossy chest visibly in the cleavage of the medieval shirt. This was bliss. This needed to stay like this forever.
[.....]
This couldn't stay like this any longer. Her running has started great, really. Alina had arrived at the first village in her way without issues, but human bodys needed to eat. And she was actually really bad at theft, like incredibly bad. She hadn't anything, not even a piece of bread. She had tried to hunt in the forest using her light, but It didn't matter how much she tried, her magic didn't work, she felt scared. Scared of going out and then her persecutors will know instantly where she was. The sprites sometimes appeared and showed her a bush of berries to eat from at least.
But she was slim, and tired, and all of her was a mess. Some nights she believed that instead of falling asleep she had passed out cold.
But she needed to keep going. The sprites told her that she had a place out here. That she had to find them. Alina didn't know anything more than that. But believing in the magical creatures seems a better option than letting herself get caught by a mageseker.
A shiver comes around her spine everytime she reminds the cells. The prisoners being fed petrice, how their nerves erupted with their own magic. How the poison left them drawn out of their power. The echo of screams when a blade of the same material burned their skin. But the conversion and torture wasn't anything compare to what she had seen in the deeper chambers. The laboratory of Hesbeth. Masses of meat long gone unrecognizable, creatures without any resemblance to what they were before. Now reduced to some kind of arcane beast that will attack anyone who was near.
Electric corvid monsters, tree poisoning ones, amalgamations that Alina could not describe, and their screams. Broken so broken. But they were zones in the labs where some kind of plants block the path of corridors. And Alina was scared because when they had passed that part, the plants had looked like skin and were moving. Was that how far the experiments could go…?
She remembers seeing Hesbeth in his study. A big helmet of petrice against the floor. Screamin and murmuring to himself like a madman.
“It doesn't work! It doesn't work! All these subjects have not the arcane capacity to take the mutation fully. How could they take the petrice bath? They couldn't, they would died in the process in a white and gold casket.”
He had put his hair back and played with his untamed goatee with a sinister big grin.
“They will never be like my two masterpieces”
And Alina has escaped the fate of the prisoners when they have been left in the courtyard to be counted.
She really needed to get away. So she kept her travel into the unknown.